O Pioneers!!! – Neon Creeps

With a horde of seven inches already under their belts O Pioneers!!! have made quite a name for themselves in the punk rock underground. They’ve been on the tip of everyone’s tongues, appeared at countless massive festivals amidst a rigorous touring schedule and been heralded as the next big underground sensation.

Despite all that, Neon Creeps was still the first time I’ve actually had the pleasure to hear them (so yes, revoke my punk rock licence). After sitting through the record countless times over the past week, I can’t help but think that yes, O Pioneers!!! have deserved all their hype because while Neon Creeps isn’t necessary pushing any boundaries, they’ve got their sound down pat and it works wonders.

Their sound is built on contradictory ideals of a sparse soundscape and chaoctic hardcore that work together to create a lush, pounding sound. With elements of older Against Me! and Florida’s legendary Hot Water Music, O Pioneers!!! sound is somehow an abrasive mix of hardcore and Fake Problems like sparseness, and even reminds me of The Hold Steady (see Cool Kid City to really hear THSsimilarities). Definitely guitar driven, the way the music works together is what makes the album (and the band) worthy of note.

Of course, the highlight of the twenty-eight minute LP is Eric Soloman’s vocals. He sings like Chuck Ragan or Aspirations, with gruff and worn vocals that stay strong and passionate the whole way through. The record seeps with passion through his vocals and lyrics of self-doubt, self-reflection, introspection and acceptance. At times the repetitive nature of the lyrics can become a bit excessive (I’ve read that they say DRAMA! 42 times in Saved By The Bell Was A Super Good Show, I’ve never took the time to count the exact number myself but that seems about right) but when they keep the repetition to a minimum it helps to cement the idea of the song and the sensation of lost hope into the listener. See Stressing The Fuck Out to see the repetition function work.

All in all, Neon Creeps is a decisively solid debut album and one that will ensure that O Pioneers!!!, if they can keep a lineup together for longer than six months, will become a staple in the US touring circuit and punk rock scene. A strong, energetic hardcore album with some slightly more restrained components and passionate, worm out vocals, Neon Creeps will earn many repeated plays over the following months.